Apparatus for transferring freight



June 24, 1930. I A. H. BATES 1,766,589

APPARATUS FOR ITRANSFERRING FREIGHT Filed Oct. 27, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June24,1930. A HBATES 1,766,589'

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING FREIGHT Filed 061;. 27, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 24, 1930. BATES 1,766,589

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING FREIGHT Filed Oct. 27, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 24, 1930 ALBERT H. BATES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, 'ASSIGTNOR- O13 \VILMINGTOI'I, DELAVARE, A CORPO ..A

T MOTOR TERMINALS GDMPANY,

TION OF DELAWVARE APPARATUS FOR TRAIISFERBING FREIGHT Application filed october 27. 1928.

This invention relates to a freight handling system wherein removable containers are provided which are adapted to be transported by a vehicle to a transfer point and there removed with the contained load from the vehicle, and thereafter another loaded container deposited on the vehicle. As such containers to be efficient must be of considerable size, some sort of hoisting and transporting mechanism is essential in removing or replacing the loaded container. It is an object of this invention to provide such hoisting and transporting m' tianism in a very simple and efficient form, suitable for installation at comparatively small expense.

My invention is more particularly concerned with the transfer of containers to and from freight cars of electric interurban lines having overhead trolley wires. The invenac tion contemplates a superstructure located adjacent the side of the railway track and havingan overhead trackway on which a traveling crane which may raise and transport laterally a removable body, associated with means for shifting the trolley wire laterally so that the crane cables suspending the container may move the latter without interference by the trolley wire.

More particularly, I propose in this in- 39 vention to carry an intermediate portion of the trolley wire which is at the transfer point by the laterally shiftable hoist itself, so that two pairs of raising cables may clepcml, on opposite sides of such trolley wire section, into engagement with the container, and be shifted laterally as a unit with the trolley wire section. The crane or hoist stands normally in position directly above the track and carries the trolley wire or its equivalent beneath the crane support, and in longitudinal alignment with the trolley wire proper so that the electric car may pass without interference through tl e transfer structure. The crane however is always available when it is desired to use it. Such an apparatus is illustrated in the drawings hereof, and is hereinafter more fully explained.

In the drawings. Fig. 1 is an elevation transversely of an electric railway track of Serial No. 315,451.

two side superstructures, and an overhead crane traclnvay; Fig. 2 is a plan of such installation, the roof being omitted; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation thereof at right angles to Fig. 1, being on a plane indicated by the line on Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevation illustrating the relation of the removable container, the traveling crane and the intermediate trolley wire or trolley wheel guide whichit carries, being a vertical. section on the line l d on Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail in vertical section adjacent one end of the continuous trolley wire, as indicated by the section line on Fig.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, A represents an electric railvl y track, B the usual suspended trolley wire therefor, and C an electric flat car adapted to travel on such rails by electric power. This flat c: r may have a cab c and a trolley pole c. D indicates the removable body, which may be mounted on the fiat car in the rear of the cab; This body is preferably of such size that it may also readily fit on an automobile truck (as indicated at E in Fig. 1) so that the body may be interchanged as desired between the truck and flat car. The body may be provided with suitable doors (Z, and at the eves with hooks or eyes (7' or other means for attaclnne-nt of raising cables.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown superstructures located opposite each other on both sides of the track and connected by a bridge, thus providing a continuous overhead support for the crane with its trolley wheel guide. Such superstructure has upright posts 10, suitable cross beams 11 and tie members 12. It carries a pair of crane tracks 15 bridging across the railway track space. These tracks are shown as mounted on brackets 16 carried by the posts 10.

The tracks I?) carry a suitable crane 20 having four raising cables 21 terminating at their lower ends in hooks or eyes. Mounted on the crane frame is a suitable mechanism for pulling up these cables as a unit. The mechanism shown comprises a rotatable screw 2% (Fig. 2), a traveling nut 25 thereon, and guide bars 26 for the nut. The cables 21 pass upwardly from their free ends over sheaves 27 and thence around sheaves Q8 and 29, and are finally anchored to the nut 25. Accordingly, the rotation of the screw operates to simultaneously raise or lower all four of the load engaging ends, which may be hooked to the hooks or eyes of the container. The screw may be rotated by any suitable means, as tor instance. an electric motor 30, which may receive its power from the trolley circuit. The crane preferably has also a motor 31 geared with one of the supporting wheels 32, whereby the crane may be shifted along its track.

Normally the raising cables and lift hooks are elevated sufficiently to be entirely out ot the way of the electric car. Accordingly, the car may run freely past the transfer structure. It is desirable however, that the trolley wire be normally continued through the structure either in the form of the wire or an inverted trough, so that the car may run continuously without attention to the trolley pole, when the hoist mechanism is not in use.

However, to use the hoist mechanism to raise a body and shift it laterally to or from the car, it is necessary to provide some means whereby the trolley wire will not interfere with the lateral movement of the supporting cables. To accomplish this, I terminate the trolley wire proper adjacent the two ends of the superstructure, and support the free ends by suitable guides 7) (Fig. and I mount the intermediate section of the trolley wire on brackets depending from the hoist frame. These brackets are shown at carrying the intermediate section 36 of the trolley wire. This section is shown as an inverted trough adapted to be engaged by the flanges of the trolley wheel, but if desired, it could be a wire or bar engaging in the groove of the trolley wheel.

The trolley wire section 36 is adapted to align with the permanent trolley wires B, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and thus make a continuous guiding member for the trolley wheel as the car runs past the transfer structure. The crane is normally locked in this central position, as for instance by an upwardly pressed spring latch bolt 38 (Fig. 1) mounted on one of the brackets 16 and coacting with the crane frame. \Vhen it is desired to use the crane, it is only necessary to pull down on the cord 29 for instance to unlock the crane from its central position so that its trolleying motor 31 may move it and the load to one side or the other as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 1.

The intermediate trolley wire section 36 may be connected electrically with the trolley wire by a suitable conductor so that substantially continuous current is provided to the car motor, or the section may be dead and moi'nentuin relied on to carry the trolley car through the hoist structure.

In m'dii'iary operation of the construction described, the hoist frame 20 is locked in the mid position as shown in Fig. 1 and the electric car operates in a normal manner without regard to the transfer apparatus. Now, when it is desired to use the transfer mechanism, the trolley car with its body is brought into position beneath the crane trackway as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the cables lowered and connected to the body, as indicated. The body may then be raised by the electric motor 30 and, after the crane is unlocked, transported laterally by the motor 31, each of which motors may if desired receive current from the trolley circuit. The body is thus brought to the side of the railroad track, where it may for instance be deposited on suitable supports or horses as indicated at F in Fig. 1, or, if desired, the body may be deposited on th automobile truck E also indicated in that figure. The reverse operation from that described will transfer a body from the support or truck onto the electric flat car, whereby it may be transported.

My operation might be carried out by a construction on one side only of the trackway overhanging the track, but it is more adaptable for receiving and depositing containers without delay by having supports on truck runways on both sides of the track, so that as soon as a body is lifted off of the car and deposited, another from the opposite side may be lifted onto the car. Indeed, when the interchange of bodies is frequent, it is desirable to have l'oom for more than one on each side, and such is the installation illustrated in Fig. 1.

As an example of the operation, we will assume that, when the electric car C arrives with its loaded body D at the transfer point, there is standing at the right a truck with another loaded body D, and it is desired to interchange these bodies. Accordingly, the body on the car is trolleyed to the left and deposited on the vacant supports F; then the crane moves back to the right, picks up the body D from the truck and deposits it on the car, and the car moves on with its new load. Then the crane moves to the left, picks up the body I), carries it across the track and deposits it on the truck, which is then ready to depart for its destination. If either the car or truck is not present when the other arrives, the container from either may he stood temprn'arily on the supports F, as indicated at the extreme left in Fig. 1. The system thus ada its itself to very effe tive interchange of ireight without in anv way interfering with the normal through operation of the electric line. i

I claim 1. The combintion with a railway track and a trolley wire above it, of a supporting structure at the side thereof, laterally movable hoisting mechanism carried by such structure and adapted to extend above the track. and means mounted on a laterally movable part of the hoist mechanism for supportin a trolley-wheel-guide normally in alignment with the trolley wire 2. In an apparatus for transferring freight, the combination with railway track, of a supporting structure alongside of the track, a lateral traclzway on sale structure, a traveling crane on such trackway, and a guide for an under-running trolley wheel, said guide being mounted on said crane and shittable with it.

3. In an apparatus for transferring freight to or from electric cars, the com bination of a railway track and a trolley wire above it, a structure alongside oi the track, a traveling crane mounted on said structure and having depending cables adapted to engage a movable body on a car on the track, the two sections of the trolley wire at opposite ends of the structure being interrupted, a trolley wheel guide between such interrupted ends adapted to register therewith, and brackets depending from the movable crane and carrying said guide.

4. The combination with a railway track and a trolley wire above it, of supporting structures at opposite sides thereof carrying a bridge over the railway track, hoisting mechanism carried by such structure and adapted to be moved from either side to a position above the track, said hoist mechan ism carrying a trolley wheel guide adapted to align with the trolley wire or to be moved laterally out of alignment therewith.

5. The combination with a railway track and a trolley wire above it, of superstructures on opposite sides thereof, a crane trackway carried thereby and spanning the railroad track above the horizontal plane of the trolley wire, traveling crane on said trackway, a guide for the trolley wheel adapted to be positioned over the railway track and lower than the crane trackway, and means depending from the crane for carrying said guide.

6'. The combination of a railway track, of supporting structures on opposite sides thereof, a trackway carried by said struc tures and bridging across the space above the railway track, a traveling crane on such trackway equipped with four raising cables adapted to engage a removable body on a car on the track, means mounted on the crane for supporting a trolley wheel guide in registration with trolley wires below the crane trackway, said means being movable with the crane to either side of the trackway during the trolleying operation of the traveling crane.

7. An apparatus for t'ans'ferring freight,

con'iprising the combination with an electric railway havin a track and an overhead trol ley wire, an overhead laterally movable crane, and an overhead trollev wheel guide,

mounted on the crane shiitable laterally with to be connected to a removable body on an electric car below the crane, and a trolley wheel guide mounted on the underside of the crane and shitta-ble with it to enable the hoist cab c to be shi d laterally past the verti al p aue of the trolley wire.

9. l2. an apparatus for transferring freight to or from electric cars by means of demountable bodies. the combination of a railway track on which the cars may run, a trolley wire above said track, a pair of structures opposite each other and on opposite sides of the track, a transverse crane trackway on said structures bridging the space above the railway track, a traveling crane on such bridging track having hoisting mechanism and four de ending cables adapted to be lowered to engage the removable body on the railway car, there being space within 1e s ructure on either side of the railway 'racl for receiving or depositing a removable bodv, and a trolley wheel guidecarried by he crane and adapted to register with the trolley wire to make a continuous path for the trolley wheel from one end of the structure to the other, said guide being shittable laterally with the crane to either side of the railway track.

10. In an apparatus for transferring freight to or from electric cars, the combina tion of a railway track on which the cars may run. a trolley wire above said track, a pair of structures opposite each other and on opposite sides of the track, and connected together above the plane of the trolley wire, a pair of c 'ane tracks on said structures higher than the trolls wire and bridging tne space above the railway track, a traveling crane on such bridging tracks having hoisting mechanism and a depending cable adapted to be lowered to engage a removable body on a railway ar on the track, there being space within the structure on either side of the railway track for receiving or depositing a lQlllOVllbiG body, brackets depending from the crane tran'ie between the crane tracks, and a trolley guide carri d by said brackets and adapted register with the trolley wire to make a continuous path for the trolley wheel from one end of the structure to the other, said guide being shiftable laterally with the crane.

11. In an apparatus for transferring freight, the combination With a railway track and a trolley wire above it, of a structure fixed alongside of the railway track, said trolley wire being open at the structure to present aligning portions spaced apart, an intermediate trolley wire section adapted to register with such two aligning spaced sections, movable means on the structure for moving the intermediate section out of registration with the fixed sections of the trolley wire, and a traveling hoist mechanism on the said means adapted to operate over the railway track or at the side thereof.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

ALBERT H. BATES. 

